I cocked my head. “You were going to let me say yes.”
He shrugged. “If that was what you wanted.”
I held his gaze. “I wasn’t going to.”
“I know.”
Of course he did.
I shook my head, unable to stop myself from smiling. “Doesno onein this city waste their time?”
He grinned. “No one.”
I looked around again, the movement of the street settling differently now, feeling less overwhelming, more navigable. Then without even thinking about it, I stepped closer to Stefan, not because I needed to, but because I wanted to.
Stefan’s hand was on my nape, his fingers gently stroking the skin.
I understood something I hadn’t been able to name before.
This isn’t just about being seen.
It was about choosing where I stood—and who I stood with.
“When you’re ready, we’ll eat,” he said in a low voice. “And then we’ll go back to my place to get ready for tonight.” His eyes met mine. “You still want to go?”
Heat and ice warred within me.
“Yes.”
I knew we’d discussed the party, but I still had no clue exactly what to expect.
That only added to the anticipation.
Chapter Nineteen
Kieran
We turned down a quiet street,the noise of the main road fading behind us. Stefan stopped at an ornate wooden door.
“This is it?” I asked.
“This is Rolf’s apartment.” He didn’t reach for the buzzer, but turned to face me. “You don’t have to do anything tonight if you don’t want to. Rolf knows this is your first time.” His voice was calm and steady as always. “You can come in, look around, and if you decide this isn’t for you, we can leave. No one will expect anything from you.”
I nodded, but he still didn’t move.
“And if youdodecide you want to play, you need to know something. If at any point you want to stop, we stop. No questions, no pressure.”
“I know,” I said. I was glad he’d said it anyway.
His gaze held mine for a moment longer.
“If there’s something you want to try, we talk about it first.Nothinghappens without that.”
His clear, concise words cut through the noise in my head.
“I don’t even know what I want yet,” I admitted.
“That’s fine,” he said without hesitation.